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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24466672">Talk To Me</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account'>orphan_account</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Bendy and the Ink Machine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, Takes place before the game/in an alt universe, one night stand but it's more, short and sweet</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 01:34:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>844</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24466672</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sammy gets paranoid about a one night stand with a coworker.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sammy Lawrence/Norman Polk</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>49</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Talk To Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sammy had many regrets in life. Taking a job at the studio was big one. Another was sleeping with a coworker.</p><p>He didn't<em> regret it</em> regret it, but he was paranoid. Norman was quiet, but would he keep it between them? He could rat him out to Joey. God, Joey would kill him! He'd lose his job in a heartbeat if it slipped he was gay <em>and </em>shagged the projectionist. Norman had severe blackmail material on him now. Would he have to watch what he said or did? Had Alice or Thomas been looking at him weirdly today, or was he paranoid? What if he already started rumors? What if-</p><p>"Sammy."</p><p>He jumped. Norman was behind him. How long had he been there? His face was unreadable, as it always was. <em>Fuck</em>. "Yes?"</p><p>Norman's expression relaxed into a passive talking-to-a-coworker smile. "I need to talk to you about replacing that projector in the booth. It's old, isn't it?" he had been acting like nothing had happened. A little part of Sammy wondered if he'd dreamed the whole night. He wondered if he'd made up that conversation, the agreement to meet at Norman's place, and how he'd driven home in the early hours of the morning. No, it couldn't be. It happened. And he was freaking out over it.</p><p><em>Ignore it. It was a one night stand. Move on</em>. Sammy exhaled softly and nodded. "Yeah, we can talk about that." he said. Business as usual. They were at work. He followed Norman down into the projectionist's office. That projector had been breaking more often.</p><p>Norman shut the door once they were inside. He sighed. "Sammy, what the hell are you doing?"</p><p>"Wh-what do you mean?" his voice quivered and he died on the inside. He was so done for.</p><p>Norman's soft expression hardened. "You're acting all strange. People have been giving you looks all day. Are you okay?"</p><p>"I'm fine." Sammy forced out. He tried to calm his breathing down. He was going to be outed, oh fuck. He wasn't ready for that. "I thought we were talking about the projector?"</p><p>"It was replaced two days ago."</p><p>"Oh..."</p><p>Norman leaned against the door, crossing his arms. "It's about last night, isn't it?" his brows furrowed and he frowned. "It is. I can tell. Come on. Talk to me. What's wrong?"</p><p>"Nothing's wrong!" Sammy lied. He immediately realized his mistake. Norman's expression told him he wasn't fooling anyone. Norman could very easily tell if someone was lying, he knew. "I mean..." he sighed and looked away. "I'm sorry."</p><p>"You should be." Norman said bluntly. "You didn't say anything before you left. You're acting like someone has a gun to your head. You're going to expose us."</p><p><em>Us?</em> It... Well, he was right. Norman was in danger, too. If word got out, both of them would probably be sacked. Joey was not kind to minorities. He was an ass to Norman(more so than he was an ass to everyone), who was black. Being racist to his only projectionist earned pettiness with how fast repairs were made. Sammy looked down. "...you're right, I'm sorry." he caved. No point in fighting it.</p><p>"Lawrence-" <em>shit, calling him by his last name, that's when you know it's serious</em>, "-you're really not helping me here. We both know that wasn't <em>nothing</em> that happened last night." Norman said coolly. Sammy winced. "Am I wrong?"</p><p>"N-no. No... You're right. That...was something more. To me. At least. It's weird. It's inappropriate. Sorry."</p><p>"Don't apologize. It's fine." If Norman was finding the tension awkward, he wasn't showing it. He was staying much calmer than Sammy. "I'm guessing you'd like to go out?"</p><p>Sammy stared at him. He felt his cheeks burn red. He glanced around, a little nervous someone was watching. They were alone- nobody ever came down here unless a projector caught fire. "You're lying." he said, but didn't really mean it. Norman didn't lie. "You're just trying to make me feel better."</p><p>"I'm not mean. I wouldn't lead you on." Norman set a hand on his shoulder, and Sammy tensed. Norman's face was dark red, but it was hard to see in the dim room. "I like you too. We can get dinner, if that would help. We can go out or stay at one of our places. Just calm down. I won't say anything to anyone. We can talk about anything you need to talk about. We'll be okay." he sighed. Sammy nodded stiffly, not risking speaking.</p><p>Norman paused, then leaned down and kissed him lightly. He pulled back too soon for Sammy's liking and pat him on the back. "Okay, I've got work to do. You do, too. Have a nice day." he murmured. And then he left, leaving Sammy alone in the office. His face felt like it was lit on fire. Norman wasn't going to expose him. In fact, he offered to take him out to talk. That was...way better than anything he'd expected.</p><p>After spending too long dumbly standing there, he shuffled out of the office.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Could've been better I think(I'm not a gay man in the 1930's, nor have a written anything that brings up homophobia before), but it has a nice and fluffy enough ending for me.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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